When Donna Dies
by demonsandtimemachines
Summary: The Doctor visits Donna as an old lady on her deathbed. *Yes i realise this is a tumblr post and so do not take credit for the idea, i just thought it would be nice to make it into a longer fic*


The Doctor was continously pacing around the inside of his TARDIS as he glanced at the moniter. Up, down, up down, he kept frowing as he glanced at the hospital he was parked in front of. 20 minutes.

"Nurse, I'm dying, aren't I?"

"Now Donna, that's really no way to think." The nurse smiled down at the frail old lady lying on the hospital bed, but Donna Noble could see through that in an instant. Being 91 and severely ill, Donna knew there was no way she was going to survive the operation she had just had, it was just a case of when her heart would stop. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? 20 minutes?

15 minutes. The Doctor had to see her. All of time and space, and she was here in this hospital. She had saved the world so many times it didn't seem right that she was going to die, but here the time was. The Doctor found himself hurting, not physically, but there was ache inside him telling him that this was it, Donna Noble was going to die, and he was there to say goodbye.

10 minutes. Her nurse had told her that she was going to die very soon. Donna had already worked this out of course, why else would everyone be wandering in to hold her hand and smile at her and say goodbye. Although she originally thought she would be scared, Donna instead found herself feeling angry that she was going to die 'd never had the chance to do any good in the world, and now she was leaving for good. Nothing ever has a happy ending. 5 minutes.

"Donna, there's a Doctor here to see you. He says he specifically wants to talk to you, is it okay if he comes in quickly?"

There was something in her face Donna didn't understand, but as her nurse left the room she found herself staring at a young, good-looking man in a suit with dark short hair.

Donna. The Doctor smiled down at the old lady who's hair used to be a gorgeous ginger, and he found his eyes filling with tears. "Donna. Donna Noble."

"What do you want? There's nothing you can do, i'm due to die soon. None of the doctors and nurses here can help me, they've already tried. Go and talk to someone special, someone who has a bit longer to live."

"You are the most important person in the universe. You don't remember, but you will. I can't help you live, but i have to show you how special you are. Donna Noble you have two minutes before you will die, please let me show you." The Doctor found himself shaking with both sadness and happiness; after almost 50 years he was reunited with his best friend. That's what she was to him, his best friend.

Donna found she could put up no resistance against him, she was to weak. So instead she stayed very still as he leant forwards to press his fingertips very gently against the pale, wrinkled skin of her head. Suddenly something happened, and her head was overrun with looking creatures with tentacles where the mouths should be: "you stupid lady, they're called Oods. How could you forget them?" She thought to herself. She watched herself flying through space in the TARDIS visiting unbelievably amazing planets, seeing incredible aliens, while always being with the Doctor and always making things right. She could feel tears flowing down her face as the pressure inside her head began to build up to an uncomfortable level, but she made the Doctor keep going. She couldn't miss any of this. Finally the Doctor showed her the last image, of how she saved the entire world from the Daleks at the cost of losing her memories. Donna Nobel remembered everything. She felt the Doctor pull away and she barely managed to open her eyes to smile at him. "Doctor, it's been a while." She grinned at him.

"Oh Donna" he choked out, with tears flowing down his cheek, "you will always be the most important person in the galaxy, I've missed you so much."

"You idiot" Donna whispered as she smiled faintly.

Zero minutes.

As the life faded out of Donna the Doctor could see the ghost of a smile remaining on her lips. As his entire body shook he vaguely realised someone had entered the room and was guiding him away, guiding him back to the TARDIS. He sat down and the tears stopped as the realisation of his actions overtook him. Donna Noble had died not thinking that she was useless, but knowing that she was the most special woman in existence.


End file.
